BIZ BUZZ: What PPP? It’s air navigation JV

When an official of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center of the Philippines spoke about the “rejection” of the P29.82-billion proposal of Comclark Network and Technology Corp. to upgrade the country’s air navigation facilities, it came as a surprise to the proponent, tech tycoon Dennis Anthony Uy of Pampanga.

Discussions are still ongoing but the project is shaping up now to be a joint venture (JV) with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) — and not a PPP, Uy said in a recent media chat.

As such, it’s the DOTr that knows more about the progress of the project, he said.

Uy said he’s willing to invest because nobody else will do it.

Why JV and not PPP? It’s because there are equipment that had already been purchased by the government that officials wish to fold into the venture.

Meanwhile, Comclark’s outlays will go down a bit from the P29.82-billion estimate earlier given, because the government would have an equity contribution.

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However, Uy said ComClark would still get majority control.

“We see that the country needs to be faster to move forward,” Uy said. “Our air traffic is totally outdated technology. Turnaround is 35 to 40 minutes so the plane is burning gases.”

“This is only technology intervention.” he said.